In a sample of consecutively admitted psychiatric adult patients a five component structure was found in the BPRS-E of which four components were interpretable. Component scales were analyzed with regard to intercorrelations (low), and internal consistency (good). The stability of the component structure was demonstrated in a second group of young patients with schizophrenia. Four components (positive and negative symptoms, depression and mania) seem therefore to be sufficient to describe general pychiatric and schizophrenic symptomatology. The four components did not differentiate diagnostic subgroups (DSM-III-R schizophrenia, schizo-affective or schizophreniform disorder) of the second sample. Subtyping of schizophrenia seems therefore to be of limited value in the acute phase of the illness.